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BeyondBlue Hello! Read this if you're not sure how to get started
  • replies: 0

Welcome This section of the Beyond Blue Forums is for talking about our experiences with Depression. There are lots of chats about how it makes us feel, what it’s like to live with depression and what has worked to help in these times. Thank you for ... View more

Welcome This section of the Beyond Blue Forums is for talking about our experiences with Depression. There are lots of chats about how it makes us feel, what it’s like to live with depression and what has worked to help in these times. Thank you for coming this far, we know it can be really hard to take these steps if depression is in your life - we see you and think this is a great step. To get the most out of this space we have a few tips: Get involved. The Forums work best for you when you get active and post where you can. Now, we know that can be really hard, especially when you are experiencing depression. So, if you can post something supportive to someone else here, that would be an incredible start. Speak from the heart. This community wants to know how YOU feel and what has worked for YOU. We trust that you have something unique to say and we can’t wait to hear it. Check in. Lots of the chats on this Forum having been going for years and they are some of the richest conversations we have. Keep checking in to get new ideas and offer your support. We know it can be tough to start, but when you are ready we want to hear your thoughts. If you need some time to get to know the community, that's okay! Have a look around and see where you want to get involved. Thank you for being here Beyond Blue

Jeriava How do I talk to my doctor?
  • replies: 9

I’ve been struggling with my life for the past 7-8 years but I finally made an appointment with a doctor. I feel really scared though because I don’t ever go to the doctor for anything, and I havent seen this doctor for so many years that I’m really ... View more

I’ve been struggling with my life for the past 7-8 years but I finally made an appointment with a doctor. I feel really scared though because I don’t ever go to the doctor for anything, and I havent seen this doctor for so many years that I’m really scared that they’ll judge me or won’t believe anything I say. I’m really anti social so I feel like I won’t be able to say what I wanna say or I’ll say the wrong thing causing them to just dismiss me and move me along without helping. I’m just tired of feeling alone, depressed and just worthless but I’m really scared to talk to them.

AGrace SELF HELP TIPS FOR MANAGING DEPRESSION
  • replies: 132

Hi Everyone, Here are some ideas you might like to try for managing symptoms of depression. Of course everyone's different, so let us know what works for you, and please feel free to add to the list... Mindfulness – through breathing or engaging the ... View more

Hi Everyone, Here are some ideas you might like to try for managing symptoms of depression. Of course everyone's different, so let us know what works for you, and please feel free to add to the list... Mindfulness – through breathing or engaging the 5 senses Distress Tolerance – Accepting Emotions and Self Soothing Distraction – Put the thoughts/feelings aside and come back to them when you are ready to deal with them Positive Affirmations – Have some affirmations written down repeat them to yourself daily Sleep/Exercise/Diet – All 3 aspects of our lifestyle can impact the way we think/feel Increasing Pleasurable Activities – Engage in at least one pleasurable activity per day

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Unsure541 Need to move out but don’t know how
  • replies: 1

Hi, I am in a tricky situation and would love some opinions on what to do. A couple of years ago, I moved in with a friend/friend through family. It was my first time moving out of my family home (I was a late bloomer in that respect!) and she was in... View more

Hi, I am in a tricky situation and would love some opinions on what to do. A couple of years ago, I moved in with a friend/friend through family. It was my first time moving out of my family home (I was a late bloomer in that respect!) and she was in need of someone to live with her as it was expensive to live alone. Things seemed to work out well for both of us. The first year or so we got along well. But lately in the more recent years I feel like I constantly walk on eggshells around her, as she is always quite moody. Sometimes she’s very nice and we get along, but other times she can be quite mean and constantly making snide remarks to me. Lately I’ve begun to feel like this isn’t really my home. I tend to dread coming home after work because I always wonder what it will be like when I get there. I suffer from depression and I know I can be a bit “fragile” sometimes and take things to heart, but for a while now I have felt like I want to move out (and move back home to my parents house until I’m financially stable enough to live on my own). I am incredibly unhappy living here. However, both of us have fallen on some financial hardships. I lost my job and she cut down her hours at work in order to study. She actually got me a job at her place, which of course I am grateful for. But that is one of what makes this situation difficult (although we never have the same shift, because it is a small workplace. However it is a tight knit group of people). I have been trying to secure a different job but so far have been unsuccessful. She as well, is barely scraping by, and would never be able to cover the cost of rent and utilities on her own. I want to move out but not because she’s a bad person. I think we aren’t suited to living with each other. I know I would carry a lot of guilt and feel I had left her in an impossible situation if I left. The other issue with me moving out is I would continue to see her at every family gathering. I would of course want to remain friends with her but imagine that my moving out would cause a big rift between us. Apologies for this really long post. It has been weighing very heavily on me and made me feel quite depressed and anxious. I would love any opinions or advice anyone can offer. Thanks

Fuduu Getting help
  • replies: 2

I have been getting symptoms of depression a lot lately and feeling like I am worthless and constant stress and dread of things and I want to get a help but I keep thinking about what people would think of me if I told them about it, for example if I... View more

I have been getting symptoms of depression a lot lately and feeling like I am worthless and constant stress and dread of things and I want to get a help but I keep thinking about what people would think of me if I told them about it, for example if I told my parents they would think I am joking or trying to get attention or they would scoff and forget about me.

Dejena Can we just talk
  • replies: 3

Can we just talk like friends because I feel lonely?

Can we just talk like friends because I feel lonely?

Fuduu Telling Parents about Depression
  • replies: 7

Lately I have been feeling really depressed about life and feeling worthless, and I did aa Depression Test on beyond blue and it said "Very High" for the score. I sort of want to tell my parents about it but they would think I am joking because i am ... View more

Lately I have been feeling really depressed about life and feeling worthless, and I did aa Depression Test on beyond blue and it said "Very High" for the score. I sort of want to tell my parents about it but they would think I am joking because i am normally happy and talkative but i just put that on, so I dont know how to tell them without them thinking its a joke or scoffing. Any ideas?

Deep_rest Futility of effort
  • replies: 1

Feeling trapped is one of the scariest feelings Ive ever encountered. This feeling of having no control and seeing no way out has brought me within inches of a fatal action. And it's something I've been feeling a lot recently. for context I recently ... View more

Feeling trapped is one of the scariest feelings Ive ever encountered. This feeling of having no control and seeing no way out has brought me within inches of a fatal action. And it's something I've been feeling a lot recently. for context I recently was admitted to hospital for an attempt. I spent almost a month in hospital and I'm definitely doing better now that I was before due to some big changes I had to make including leaving my job. This wasn't my first bout with mental health problems I'm in my early twenties and I've been dealing with mental health issues on and off since I was 7 or 8. However this recent episode was by far the most dangerous. I want to clarify that I'm not currently feeling suicidal but I am feeling (for lack of a better phrase) trapped in life. I've had episodes in the past, and they've only been worse each time and so I feel that if and when I have another episode, I'm worried that I may not be so lucky. As a result of this I feel a sense of futility in doing anything to benefit my future. I feel like it's pointless to out effort into taking care of myself and trying to get my life on track. I think one of the main driving forces for me is empathy cos it hurts to know that people are worried for me and that I might be the cause of pain and anguish. I know pain, I know anguish and I wouldn't wish the same on anyone, much less someone I know who cares about me. And so I find myself stuck. Feeling like I'm living only to protect people I know from a tragedy that I think may be inevitable.

MrMase Opinion needed: Should I get help?
  • replies: 4

So, I haven't seen any professionals or talked to parents about my feelings and thoughts so I guess you could call this a self-diagnosis. Only a couple of people know about how I feel, and I just feel like I'm in a tug of war inside my mind. Lately, ... View more

So, I haven't seen any professionals or talked to parents about my feelings and thoughts so I guess you could call this a self-diagnosis. Only a couple of people know about how I feel, and I just feel like I'm in a tug of war inside my mind. Lately, in the past months, I have been experiencing heavy loneliness feelings and the reason is because of the constant house and city moving (from my parent's jobs) over the past 8 years. I have never really experienced having true friendships with other people as to others I am "an extremely empathetic person" and I don't blame them. In the last couple of weeks, I've noticed all the things people dislike me for and more reasons to hate myself. I feel like I care too much over things or people I shouldn't and nobody really cares about me, like any friendship I've ever had never really makes it far before I move again. One friendship I have had through talking online and kept for ages is my good mate that knows about these things, he suggests for me to get help as I'm spiralling too much, and my mate has had Depression since he was 8 ( I think it was chronic). I just hate the thought of being that kid taken out of school to go to counselling or a psychiatrist. I've been dealing with my thoughts in my head for just under 3 months now but they're starting to worsen and I can't drown it out with music anymore.

Cindy_Lu Don't give up
  • replies: 3

Hi, I want to share my story. I was diagnosed with extremely severe depression and anxiety last year, which I suffered from for a year and a half. I was in the worst place possible - there was not a single minute where I didn't feel depressed or anxi... View more

Hi, I want to share my story. I was diagnosed with extremely severe depression and anxiety last year, which I suffered from for a year and a half. I was in the worst place possible - there was not a single minute where I didn't feel depressed or anxious. I had multiple anxiety attacks a day, and cried several times a day. I would have these frequent episodes where I would be screaming uncontrollably at the top of my lungs for up to two hours nonstop. I tried to kill myself twice and had police burst inside my home before to stop me, and I remember on my 18th birthday last year I was just crying instead of celebrating because I was just thinking about how this would be my last birthday. I stopped going to school for half of the time, even though I needed to get into law with at least a 97 ATAR. And my boyfriend was just making everything worse by not supporting him, but I just couldn't bring myself to let him go. WHAT NOT TO DO I used really bad coping methods. Mainly drugs , which I took a large amount everyday. I participated in so many dangerous activities, I was in a gang, just spent most of my time high. I did self-harm quite a bit, and even though these may help you cope short term, they won't do anything for you long-term. HOW I GOT BETTER Despite being certain that I was going to die soon, I finally ended up trying antidepressants. Even though I had been seeing a psychologist for a year, I didn't think they were of any help. I had just gotten off antidepressants a month ago after taking them for about 7 months, and I am so grateful that I am back to how I was before I got sick. Along with that, that old boyfriend is gone, I have stopped taking drugs, and I got the ATAR I wanted and was able to get into law school. I no longer feel sad or anxious anymore and I am so happy that I didn't end my life before realising that eventually things would get better. I believe that the combination of these things all helped me get better, along with supportive friends. Even though I was just diagnosed with cervical cancer about a month ago and had so many trips to the hospital, I am happier than ever. Depression and anxiety are the worst things that could happen to a person, and I want to tell everyone that even though you might feel like you want to die for months on end without a break, that feeling and life you will have once you get better makes you love life and appreciate it more than ever before.

Steve_GP Need help getting out of this rut
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone, my name is Steve and I’m 32 from Melbourne. I don’t really know where to start so I’ll just give you the key points: I have been suffering from undiagnosed anxiety for most of my life. I have not gone to the GP for a diagnosis because I ... View more

Hi everyone, my name is Steve and I’m 32 from Melbourne. I don’t really know where to start so I’ll just give you the key points: I have been suffering from undiagnosed anxiety for most of my life. I have not gone to the GP for a diagnosis because I find it hard opening up about it in person as I was brought up to believe that mental health problems are “all in your head” and aren’t real. Lost my job during Covid and have been unemployed ever since. I have worked a couple of jobs in the last 5 years and was made redundant from both. It has been 12 months since I was last employed and I feel like my confidence and self-worth is now at an all time low. I am living with my Girlfriend and her parents as we were trying to save for a home before Covid. Most days when I wake up and feel nothing but dread. I feel my life has no purpose. I am feeling more and more depressed every day. I feel like I am nothing but a burden to my Girlfriends parents as I am not earning an income at the moment. How can I get out of this horrible cycle? I know I need to get professional help but I have no idea how to approach it. Any advice?

Nora5253 I feel stuck in this mind game
  • replies: 2

Hi, I dont even know where to start. I have lost my motivation doing things since summer. Every summer I would somehow feel extra sad/ lonely. And usually it would stop when I fly back home to see my family and friends or until uni starts again. This... View more

Hi, I dont even know where to start. I have lost my motivation doing things since summer. Every summer I would somehow feel extra sad/ lonely. And usually it would stop when I fly back home to see my family and friends or until uni starts again. This year I graduated from uni and because of covid, I couldn't fly back. So I started my new job in the hospital earlier instead. I thought starting a new job would spice up my life and cheer myself up a little bit, but it remains the same and this year, I couldnt sleep in some of the days. The feeling of sadness would not go away. I tried to take some time off from work and went on a holiday because I thought I was just stressed about work but I couldnt enjoy anything or relax at all. But then I thought it might be because I felt I started working full time later than anyone else at my age so I started looking for something to help myself improving but no matter what I do, I still feel the same. Nothing works like it usually does. Whenever I talk about it with people, they would think that my life is perfect and there's nothing that I should be worrying or be upset about. I feel stuck in this box that is full of negative emotions and I cant get out or figure it out why I am there. And yet my job can be emotionally draining on top of what is going on in my mind. But also very interesting, sometimes I would take extra shifts to keep myself busy because I feel like going to work can help me from thinking about all these. In the past few months, I just have been pushing through and trying to live my normal life, it is a constant battle against my own emotions and I dont know what to do anymore.

Rod_NR93 Post Covid vaccination blues
  • replies: 1

Hi all. I had my first Covid vaccination on the weekend and, as expected, I feel a bit fluey. What I'm also feeling, which is not listed as a side effect, is lowered mood. It's not a major drop and I'm so glad I got the vaccination. My theory is it i... View more

Hi all. I had my first Covid vaccination on the weekend and, as expected, I feel a bit fluey. What I'm also feeling, which is not listed as a side effect, is lowered mood. It's not a major drop and I'm so glad I got the vaccination. My theory is it is my body's inflammation response (inflammation being linked to depression school of thought). Have any of you who have had the vaccine felt a mood slump too? On the other side of things I feel glad to have had my first jab. After more than 12 months of Covid stress I finally have the end in sight. One jab to go.